Leather-brushing machine.



C. RUHE.

LEATHER BRUSHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I2. I915.

Patented Aug. 31, 1915.

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LEATHER BRUSHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 12. I915.

Patented Aug. 31, 1915.

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C. RUHE.

LEATHER BRUSHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 12. 1915.

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LEATHEBi-BRUSHING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 31, 11915..

Application filed. March 12, 1915. Serial No. 14,020.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARLETON RUHE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Olean, in the county of Cattaraugus and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Leathersuch as calf or cow leather, ordinarily used in making the uppers of shoes.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the above mentioned chartcter, embodying an endless conveyer having neans to hold the stock or leather thereon igainst slipping when acted upon by brushes otating at a hlgh speed.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same, Figure 1 is a plan view of apparatus embodying the im.

vention, one longitudinal half of the endless conveyer or belt being omitted for the purpose of illustration, Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1, ig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is a detail side elevation of an adjustable bearing, Fig.

5 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of a portion of the endless conveyer, Fig. 6 is a further enlarged detail section taken on line 66 of Fig. 5, and, Fig. 7. is a detail section through a stufiing box.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 10 designates longitudinal beams, constituting the frame of the machine. These beams are preferably formed of wood. The beams 10 are connected near their ends with legs 11,

the lower ends of which are connected by longitudinal and transverse beams 12 and 13, as shown. These legs and/the connecting beams are preferably formed of wood.

Arranged between the longitudinal beams 10 and suitably attached thereto is a preferably horizontal cleansing liquid holding receptacle or trough 14. This trough is preferably formed of'wood and has its upper side entirely open. The trough 14 is provided with a lower inlet pipe 15, and an upper outlet pipe 16, as shown. This trough, when the machine is operating,', is preferably filled with water, while it is obvious that the same could contain any liquid which it is desired to apply to the leather being treated. ,1

Disposed at the opposite ends of the beams 10 are rolls 17 and 18, preferably formed of wood. The roll 17 is rigidly mounted upon a transverse shaft 19, which-is journaled through stationary bearings 20, secured to' corresponding ends of the .beams 10, as shown. The roll 18 is rigidly mounted upon a transverse shaftv 21, j ournaled through longitudinally adjustable bearings 22, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. Each bearing22 is mounted to reciprocate within a longitudinal opening or slot 23 formed in the beam 10. The bearing 22 carries a tubular trunnion or extension 24, having screw-threaded engagement within an opening 26 formed through a metallic cap 27, rigidly attached to the beam 10. A coil spring28 is confined between the metallic cap 27 and the head of the bolt, thus serving to prevent accidental rotation of the bolt. I

Passed about the rolls 17 and 18 is a flexible endless conveyer or belt- 29, more clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2, 5 and 6.. This endless belt may be formed of leather, canvas, rubber covered canvas or other suitable "material. 'The endless belt is provided with suitably spaced apertures 30' (see Figs. 5 and 6) i preferably evenly distributed throughout its surface and arranged in staggered relation. The function of these apertures is to allow the greater portion of the liquid to drain from the belt and'freturn into the trough 14, and not be carried exteriorly of the trough with the travel of the endless conveyer. The endless conveyer 29 is also provided with smaller apertures 31,

receiving sharp pointed prongs or pins 32 preferably formed of brass, the pointed ends of which are arranged exteriorly of-theendless conveyer. These pins have enlarged heads 33, and clamping rings or nuts 34, engaging the screw-threaded portions there of. The function of these pins is to provide means for securing-or holding the stock or leather to the endless conveyer, so that it will not slip thereon when subjected to the action of rotatable brushes driven at a high speed. These pins, however, donot perforate the stock or leather as they are comparatively short. The endless conveyer 29 has its upper portion operating above and within the trough 14' and its lower portion passing beneath the trough, as more clearly shown in Fig. 2. The numeral 29 designates liquid catching plates, arranged below and adjacent the ends of the conveyer,

and suitably secured to the framework of the machine, to be supported thereby. These plates have their outer ends curved upwardly to extend about the rolls 17 and. 18, and their inner ends projecting into the ends of a liquid catching pan 30, as shown. This pan is also secured to the framework of the machine. in any suitable manner. The pan is provided with a drain pipe 31, as shown.

As more clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the numeral 36 designates inner supporting rolls engaging the lower surface of the'upper portion of the endless conveyer 29 adja cent the ends of the trough 14. The rolls. 36 are carried by transverse shafts 37, journaled through stationary bearings 38, at tached to the beams 10, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1.

The means to brush the leather, while the same, is subjected to the action of the water, comprises an inner large cylindrical rotatable brush 39, and outer small cylindrical rotatable brushes 40 and 41. These brushes all extend transversely of the endless conveyer, as shown. The inner large brush 39 is rigidly mounted upon atransverse shaft 42, journaled through bearings 43, which are preferably Hyatt roller bearings, while it is to be understood that the invention is in no sense restricted to the employment of such bearings. These bearings are connected with the longitudinal beams .10 by arms or brackets 44, as shown. The brush.40 is rigidly mounted upon a transverse shaft 45,

journaled through bearings 46, preferably identical with the bearings 43, the same being also attached to the beams 10. The brush 41 is rigidly mounted upon a transverse shaft 47, journaled in bearings 48, attached to the beams 10 and preferably identical with the bearings 43.

The opposite ends of the brush carryin shafts extend through stuffing boxes 45, eac

of which comprises a body portion 46', having an opening 47 to receive the shaft. The opening 47 has its outer end counter bored and internally screw-threaded to engage with a gland 48, holding packing 50, in place, as shown. Each body portion is preferably inverted U-shaped and is provided upon its edge with spaced flanges 49 for a purpose to be described. I

The shaft 19 has a pulley 49 rigidly secured thereon, which is engaged by a belt 50 receiving its power from any suitable source. Rigidly connected with the opposite end of the shaft 19 is a large pulley 51, engaged by a crossed belt 52, engaging a small pulley 53, rigidly mounted upon one end of the shaft 45. -Rigidly connected with the opposite end of the shaft 45 is a large sprocket wheel 54, engaged by a sprocket chain 55, engaging a small sprocket wheel 56, which is rigidly mounted upon the adjacent end of the transverse shaft 42.

Rigidly mounted upon the opposite end of the shaft 42 is a small sprocket wheel 57, engaged by a-sprocket chain 58, engaging a large sprocket wheel 59 rigidly mounted upon the adjacent end of the shaft 47. Rigidly mounted upon the opposite end of the shaft 47 is a small pulley 60, engaging a crossed belt 61, which engages a large pulley 62,- rigidly mounted upon the adjacent end of the shaft 21, as shown.

In operation, the endless conveyer 29 is preferably driven to the left, as indicated by the arro, whereby the rotatable brushes 39, 40 an'rll Jane rotated to the right, or have their lower portions traveling in the same direction with the conveyer,'as indicated by the arrows. The brushes are rotated at a much higher speed than the endless conveyer, the outer brushes preferably rotating at 300 feet per minute, the inner brush 39 rotating'at 1,000 feet per minute, while the endless belt travels about 40 feet a minute. While I prefer to have these brushes operating atv different speeds, yet some degree of subcess may be obtained by rotating them a' tF'thesame speed. The function of rotating the; brushes at a higher speed than travel .of the endless conveyer is to propery increasethe friction between the brushes and the stock or leather carried by the endless conveyer. The function of rotating the brush 39 at a greater speed than the brushes 40 and 41 is to provide means for placing the leather or stock under suitable tensio when being engaged by the brushes, where y the grains of the same are suitablywashed or cleansed.

The numera 63 designates a hood, inclosin the I'Otfliblfi brushes for preventing sp ashing of t e water by the brushes. This hood is preferably formed of wood although it may be made of other suitable material. The hood 63, as shown in Fig. 3, is provided with U-shaped openings 64, to receive body portions 46, whereby the "hood may be placed upon the beams 10. Any suitable means may be employed to detachably hold the hood in place, while I prefer to use the means to be next described. The walls of the openings 64 are arranged between the.

flanges 49 serving to detachably hold the body portions 46 in place, and also forming a water tight joint. The hood 63 has been found to stay in place by its weight, however any suitable means may be employed to hold the same against displacement, if desired.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The stock or leather being treated is placed upon the right end of the endless conveyer 29, in engagement with the pins or prongs 32, and is carried thereby to the left end, passing through the upper portion of the trough 14, containing the water or other cleansing liquid. In the presence of the water, the stock or leather is engaged by the rotatable brushes 39, 40 and 41, the lower portions of which are moving in the same' direction as the travel of the endless conveyer. These brushes thoroughly scrub or wash the leather. By having the large inner brush 39 rotating in the same direction with the smaller brushes but at a higher speed the portion of the leather between the brushes 4( and 41 is more or less relieved of tension while the portion of the leather between the brushes 39 and 41 is placed under a high degree of tension whereby the pores or grains of the leather are thoroughly cleaned.

As is well known, the leather after being tanned still retains a considerable amount of acid for which reason it is desirable to construct the portions of the machine of It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a referred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape,

size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of thesubjoined claims.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:- I.

1. In a machine for treating leather, a supporting structure, an endless conveyer connected with the supporting structure,, a pair of rotatable brushes arranged above and near the endless conveyer to engage with the stock thereon, means to rotate the brushes in the same direction and the brush which first acts upon the leather at a lower rate of speed than the other brush, and means to drive the endless belt in the same direction with the brushes and at a lower speed than either of them. r

2. In a machine for treating leather, a

supporting structure, an endless conveyer connected with the supporting structure, a plurality of rotatable brushes arranged above and near the endless conveyer to engage with the stock thereon, means to rotate the brushes in the same direction, and means to drive the endless conveyer in the same direction with the brushes and at a lower speed than either of them.

3. In a machine for treating leather, a supporting structure, an endless conveyer connected therewith, an inner rotatable brush arranged above and near the endless conveyer, outer rotatable brushes disposed upon opposite sides of the inner brush above and near the endless conveyer, means to rotate all of the brushes in the same direction and the inner brush at a greater rate of speed than the outer brushes, and means to drive the endless conveyer in the same direction with the rotatable brushes and at a lower speed than either of the brushes.

4. In a machine for treating leather, a supporting structure, a trough connected therewith and having its upper side open, an endless conveyer connected with the supporting structure and having a portion thereof operating through the open portion of the trough, a rotatable brush arranged above and near said portionvof the endless conveyer to engage the leather thereon, means to rotate the brush, and means to drive the endless conveyer in the same direction with the brush and at a lower speed.

. 5. In a machine for treating leather, a supporting structure, a trough for holding a cleansing liquid connected therewith and having its upper portion open, an endless conveyer connected with the supporting structure with its upper portion traveling through the upper open portion ofthe trough, a plurality of rotatable brushes disposed near and above the endless conveyer to engage the stock thereon, means to rotate the brushes in the same direction, and means to drive the endless conveyer in the same direction with the brushes and at a difierent speed with respect to either brush, substantially as described.

6. In a machine for treating leather, a supporting structure, a liquid holding trough connected therewith and having its upper side open, an endless conveyer having aportion thereof operating through the upper open portion of the trough, a rotatable brush arranged above and near 1 said-portion of the endless conveyer, a liquid conveyer and their inner ends discharging into the pan.

' 7. In amachine for treating leather, asupporting structure, a liquid holding trough connected therewith and having its upper side open,; an endless conveyer having its upper portion operating through the upper open portion of the trough and its lower portion traveling beneath the trough, a rotatable brush arranged above and near the upperportion of the conveyer, a liquid catching pan arranged near and beneath the lower portion of the conveyer, and plates having their outer ends extending upwardly about the ends of the conveyer and their inner ends inc-lined downwardlyvand discharging into the opposite ends of the pan.

8. In a machine for treating leather, a supporting structure, an apertured endless conveyer connected therewith and provided with outwardly projecting prongs adapted to receive the leather thereon and hold it against slipping with respect to the endless conveyer, and a 'rotatable brush operating in proximity to the conveyer.

9. In a machine for treating leather, a supporting structure, an endless conveyer connected therewith and provided with outwardly projecting. prongs adapted toreceive the leather thereon and hold it against slipping with respect to the endless conveyer,

10. In a machine for treating leather, a supporting structure, a' trough connected therewith and having its upper portion= above the endless conveyer in proximity to the trough, bearings connected with the supporting structure and receiving the shaft, means to rotate the shaft, a brush carried by the shaft, stuffing boxes receiving the shaft therethrough and having body portions engaging the supporting structure and provided with spaced flanges, and a hood to be arranged upon the supporting structure to inclose the brush and having openings in its sides'to receive the stuffing boxes with the walls of the openings arranged between the flanges.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD J. SWEENEY, H. L. DUFFEY. 

